Teach the Bible? Of course.

[WillParkinson]

Teach the Bible? Of course.
Public schools need not proselytize — indeed, must not — in teaching students about the Good Book.

By William R. Mattox Jr.

Having held a successful "beer-and-nuts summit" to defuse the volatile issue of race in public life, President Obama now needs to hold a "wine-and-bread summit" to tackle the equally volatile issue of religion in public schools.

(Illustration by Web Bryant, USA TODAY)

Because as millions of American children return to the classroom this month, most public schools do not know how to handle the delicate issue of what to teach students about the Bible. Just ask the Texas Board of Education, which is mired in a contentious fight over how textbooks should characterize Christianity's influence on American history.

The battle lines in the Texas shootout are familiar: One side wants to purge public schools of almost any respectful mention of religion, while the other wants the Bible to be given even more reverence in the classroom than that afforded great Americans like say, Martin Luther King Jr.

Given this stark divide, it's easy to see why some educators might be tempted to skirt this topic. Yet, to its credit, the Texas Board of Education is soldiering on, knowing that you can't effectively explore American history without teaching about the Rev. King, and that you can't teach about the civil rights leader without helping students understand the meaning and power of his frequent references to "the Promised Land" and other scriptural metaphors, verses and concepts.

Hopefully, Texas and other states can strike the right balance — and raise our nation's biblical literacy levels without engaging in religious indoctrination of one kind or another. For while people on different sides will object to the Bible being misused in the classroom, all of us on all sides ought to object to the Bible being ignored in the classroom.

More: http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2009/08/column-teach-the-bible-of-course-.html

[immoderate]

1. Mostly agree.

I learned about The Iliad and The Odyssey in school. Mythology is "allegorical narrative" and describes metaphorically, the human condition. There are many lessons to be drawn from the bible, not to mention the literary references to scenes in the bible. How could you properly read Twain's Eve's Diary or Letters to the Earth without some knowledge of the biblical references they satirize? :shrug:

I don't know how schools would take my "every culture has its mythology" approach though.

--imm

[enlightenment]

2. Odd -

I have successfully taught American history for many years - including excellent coverage of the Puritans, Dr. King, etc - without once having to whip out a bible to do it.

Teaching the metaphors and concepts of Christianity is important to understanding the perspective of those who incorporate their faith into their public lives - but you don't have to 'teach the bible' to do it, any more than you need to teach any other religious or philosophical principles.

When I discuss Dr. King, I do discuss his faith; I also discuss his belief in nonviolence - which leads to a discussion of Gandhi and his philosophies. Same goes for any discussion of faith in America - you don't have to teach the religion to discuss how the tenets of the faith are acted upon by believers.

Reading the bible as literature is no more dangerous than reading the LOTR trilogy (not as much fun, though) and I don't object to examining the bible - or any other religious text - in a formal class in that context. I've taken more than one comparative religion class in my life and they were all quite interesting in that regard. I was fortunate to only have one teacher who wanted us to believe the stories and he wasn't stupid enough to risk public humiliation by trying to force me to do that.

Unfortunately, comparative religion isn't what they're talking about in Texas. Mr. Maddox rejects that idea in a sentence and moves pretty quickly from ensuring that kids understand the metaphors to embracing the 'meaning and power' of the bible, which is a whole different kettle of fish.

Sorry, Mr. Maddox - that dog don't hunt.

[ZombieHorde]

3. I would love to teach a bible class. Bwahahahaha! nt

[dropkickpa]

4. I wouldn't object if they taught a *religionS* class

Including Buddhism, Islam, Taoism, Hindi, Native American beliefs, etc so on and so forth and presented them all in the exact same unbiased manner. Fat chance of that happening though!

[piratefish08]

5. Ahhh yes - let's trust that TEXAS can do this in a fair and balanced way!

:rofl:

"most public schools do not know how to handle the delicate issue of what to teach students about the Bible." - UH, how about NOTHING?!?!

That pesky Constitution rearing it's head again......

When they are ready to lump the Buybull into the same category as Greek Mythology, Joseph Smith and his Amazing Magical Hat, and also reflect the views of the Scientolgists, THEN maybe I'll listen.

Until then, it's nothing more than trying to "back-door" GAWD into the classroom.........

[charlie]

6. Boy, do we know how to prioritize or what?

American ignorance of science, civics, logic, geography, math, finance, English, and the world outside our borders is probably at an all-time zenith, but what REALLY cries for immediate action -- no, immediate presidential intervention and state initiatives -- is bible literacy. Because some kid might miss a literary allusion or a turn of phrase some politico uses to spice his rhetoric.

Give me a fucking break.

Yes, that stuff is good to know and important in a narrow sense. But, fer chrissakes, it's like worrying about penmanship when the kid can't fucking write.

I like how this writer pulled a factoid out of his ass and said biblical literacy could explain why churchgoing kids do better in school, when the study he referenced said nothing of the kind. Bible advocates are so enthralled with its glorious goodness, they'll say anything to make it seem even more stupendous.

[and-justice-for-all]

7. I would not be so against it if they would

toss in all the other religious fairytale books too. But they are not doing that, because this is jeebusland.

"raise our nation's biblical literacy"?? But that shit is irrelevant. hope you work to raise their math skills or reading skills or maybe, for fucks sake, their SCIENCE skills.

[brooklynite]

8. Heard a podcast discussion of this...

...the consensus was, no problem with concept of "Bible as Literature", but apparently the law requires a list of "approved" Bibles be developed by the school atuhorities; wait for the lawsuit by whichever sect gets left out...

[stopbush]

9. The "Good" Book. What a joke.